Disclaimer: I do not, and probably never will, own Harry Potter

Lily's Boy

Lily's Request

Severus Snape sat on his favorite armchair that he had taken from his home at Spinner's End. The armchair was now in his new quarters at Hogwarts. It was the 1st of September, the beginning of the school term, and he was trying to perfect the opening speech he planned on giving all his classes tomorrow.

This was his first year as Potions Master and Head of Slytherin House at Hogwarts and he had had to admit (though only to himself) that he was rather nervous. Many of the students he was to teach had been with him during his own Hogwarts years and he dearly hoped that he wouldn't be greeted by calls of that dreaded name the Marauders had dubbed him with: Snivellus.

However, he had to concede that he had changed quite a lot since the three years he had been away from Hogwarts. Gone was the sullen, self conscious boy who had hid his face behind his curtains of greasy hair. He was a Death Eater now and a spy for Dumbledore. And if that wasn't recommendation enough, he was the youngest Potions Master in over a century and an expert at both Occlumency and Legilimency. He no longer slumped when he walked, but strode purposefully, his robes billowing behind him. He enjoyed this new image, and hopefully, he smirked, he would be able to intimidate his students quite successfully.

Severus' musings were interrupted by a knock on the door of his quarters. So far only Professor McGonagall and Professor Dumbledore knew where they were; he wondered why either of them would be knocking at his door at this night. It was nearly midnight. Although both professors had told him to call him by their given names, Severus simply couldn't imagine calling his strict old Transfiguration professor, "Minerva", nor the Headmaster, a man who might even have been his great grandfather, "Albus".

Without bothering to check his wards to see who it was, Severus yanked open the door and came face to face with Lily Evans.

Severus' eyes widened and he blinked a few times, as if expecting Lily to disappear. She had been his best friend for years before he had called her a Mudblood, effectively ending their friendship. They hadn't spoken since the night he had tried to apologize to her, and she had gone on to marry the man who had made his Hogwarts years into a living hell. She even had a son now, a boy born at the end of July, and the reason why she and her family were currently being hunted by the Dark Lord. Well, actually, Severus was the reason why she was being hunted. After all he was the one who had relayed the prophesy to the Dark Lord, but he didn't like to ponder on that.

"Severus," Lily nodded at him curtly.

Severus' jaw dropped for a moment, something which didn't happen very often.

"Lily, what are you – get inside, quickly!" he ushered her in. "What are you doing here? You know what would have happened if one of the Death Eaters' children had seen you?"

"I was wearing James' invisibility cloak," she informed him coolly, holding it up before storing the cloak in the pocket of her robes.

There was a tense pause. Severus couldn't help but stare. Snapping out of it, he broke the silence. "What are you doing here, Lily?" he asked, turning away from her and walking into his small kitchen. He busied himself with preparing tea, not wanting to see her cold accusing gaze.

"I needed to speak with you Severus," she said, coldly. "Professor McGonagall told me where to find your quarter," she added as an answer to his unasked question.

Just because he was in love with her, it didn't mean that he would be willing to concede to her every whim or follow her around like a little lost dog. Not anymore. She had hurt him, she had betrayed him, and she had refused to forgive him, holding on to her own narrow minded Gryffindor beliefs. He was furious with her, yet he loved her and would continue to love her, always.

"I'm flattered," Severus sneered, still not looking at her, "That the perfect Lily Potter would deign to speak to me. To what do I owe the privilege of this honor?"

Lily's eyes narrowed. "You're a Death Eater," she said, bluntly. Well, subtlety was never a Gryffindor strong suit.

"Congratulations, Mrs. Potter," he drawled, "Ten points to Gryffindor."

"Enough with the sarcasm, Severus. I don't need your condescension right now. I came because I needed your help, but I see I was right to end our so-called friendship when I did," she spat.

"Of course, Lily Evans, forgive me, Lily Potter, can never be wrong. 'You've chosen your path, and I've chosen mine'. Wasn't that how it went, Mrs. Potter?" Severus' voice rose slightly as he repeated the words that had damned him.

"Don't you put this on me, Snape! You made your own choices. I warned you for years to stay away from those boys!"

"I see. So telling me not to talk to the boys who I shared all my classes with and who I slept in the same dorm with was your way of 'saving' me? Telling me not to read books about a subject I was passionate about was to keep me on the right path? You don't know anything! While you went gallivanting with your other Gryffindor friends, the perfect Golden Gryffindor girl, with your perfect Golden Gryffindor boyfriend, do you have any idea what I went through?"

"Stop it! You are not the victim here!" Lily yelled. Her face was red.

"They accepted me when no one else did," Severus continued, needing to get all this out of his system, "While your boyfriend and his mates were busy torturing me, he was the only one who appreciated my talent. I didn't see Slughorn or Dumbledore ever noticing me. He did, he promised me better!"

"And did you get better, Severus," Lily asked, her voice shaking slightly.

Severus turned away and quietly said, "No."

A hush fell upon the room. The tea kettle started whistling and Severus poured the tea into two cups, placing one cup in front of lily along with the cream and sugar. Lily liked sweet tea, with plenty of cream and sugar.

Lily put her hands around the cup, allowing it to warm her, before softly saying, "You're the spy, aren't you? The one who warned Dumbledore about the prophesy."

There was another silence. "Yes," Severus said finally.

Lily just nodded. "He's after my son," she said conversationally, twirling the cup in her hands.

"I know." Severus said, quietly.

"I need to protect him," Lily said finally looking up to meet his eyes. "I need to protect Harry."

Severus didn't say anything.

"You have to help me, Severus. James and I are going under the Fidelius Charm but I don't know if that will be enough."

"How will that not be enough, Lily? Surely you will use Black as your Secret Keeper and as much as I hate to admit it, he would never betray Potter."

"I know. But I won't entrust the life of my son in anyone else's hands. I would die for him." Lily's eyes were blazing.

Severus shivered. He knew Lily was not exaggerating. "What do you want from me?" he asked finally.

"I want you to promise that you will protect him, protect my son. I have a back-up plan, in case Harry is ever in danger and you're the only one I trust to help me."

Severus' eyes widened at this and he quickly covered up his confused thoughts by looking down at his own cup.

"Severus, I need to know," Lily said softly, "Why did you turn away from the Death Eaters?"

"How is that important Lily?" he asked.

"Because I need to know for sure. I need my head to know what my heart already knows."

Green eyes pierced black.

Looking directly into Lily's eyes, Severus said, "I was the one who told the Dark Lord the prophesy."

Lily's gaze didn't falter. She might have guessed.

"I didn't know who it referred to at the time," Severus continued, "I was merely following orders. I didn't know you were pregnant at all until he told me the two couples he planned on targeting. When I found out that he was going to kill you, and your family, I went to Dumbledore and asked him to protect you. In return, I agreed to be his spy."

Lily felt tears slide down her cheeks as she understood the implications of what he had told her; he truly did care for her, even though she had refused to forgive him. She couldn't help but feel anger at Dumbledore at the way he had manipulated Severus, but at least now she was sure she had made the right choice by coming here.

"Thank you, Severus," Lily said softly, "For telling me."

Severus watched her carefully, still not sure what to make of her request to protect her son.

"I don't know if I will be able to do what you ask of me, Lily. I am still a Death Eater, after all. Not to mention that the boy is James Potter's son," Severus added distastefully.

"He's also my son, Severus," Lily said. "I'm asking you to do this for the friendship we once shared. I plan on charming a Portkey so that if Harry is ever in life threatening danger, it will transport him directly to you."

"I see," Severus said, "And what does your husband have to say about this?"

"James doesn't know. He wouldn't understand. Please Severus, I'm begging you. I know that you would protect him with your life."

Severus thought for a long while, before slowly saying, "Very well, Lily. I will look after your son if it ever comes to that. But just promise me that you and Potter will be careful about who you trust as your Secret Keeper, Lily."

"Thank you, Severus, thank you!" Lily smiled, bright and radiant. She walked over to him and hugged him. She was the only one who had ever hugged him. "I missed you, you know," she whispered in his ear, "All those years, I truly did miss my best friend."

Severus breathed in her flowery scent for what would be the last time.

"I should go now," Lily said pulling apart from him and taking the invisibility cloak out of her robes.

Severus nodded.

Just as she had touched the door handle, he suddenly blurted out, "Lily, I'm sorry. For everything."

She looked bewildered for a moment but then smiled softly, "I forgive you, Severus. For everything."

And she walked out of his life forever.

A/N: Here it is. My second official story. So should I leave it as a one-shot or continue? It would basically focus on the relationship between Harry and Sev before Harry's Hogwarts years. Please Review! Constructive criticism is always appreciated.